


Speaking the Same Language

by Cithara



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, HP: EWE, Humor, M/M, Post-Hogwarts, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-05
Packaged: 2019-04-18 19:12:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14219856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cithara/pseuds/Cithara
Summary: A light-hearted little ficlet about Harry returning to teach at Hogwarts and Severus realising that the former Boy Who Lived has turned into a very appealing man.





	Speaking the Same Language

Speaking the Same Language

Severus sat in the office, which, despite the fact that McGonagall had been headmistress for five years, he still thought of as Dumbledore's. It was the last week of August, and the Hogwarts teachers were all assembled to endure the tedious ritual of the annual staff meeting that took place before term began. It was the same every year, only this time there was one detail that was different.

In a chair a little to Severus' left sat a 26-year-old Harry Potter, his left leg swung casually over his right, his elbows balanced on the arms of his chair and his hands folded in his lap. Severus had been aware that the man was to join the staff as their new DADA professor, but walking into the office and seeing him sitting there had still been a little jarring.

He'd been living abroad for a couple of years, studying Severus was led to believe, and he had returned to England with a healthy tan, a couple more inches in height, and a jawline that could cut diamonds. To say that Severus had been surprised at his body's reaction to this changed and mercifully adult incarnation of The Boy Who Lived would be an understatement. The man was beautiful.

Severus paid very little attention to the meeting. He barely listened to these things at the best of times, but when 5 foot 11 of wizardkind's saviour was sitting elegantly a few feet away from him, his head tilted slightly to one side exposing the curve of his throat, there was no chance of him attending to McGonagall's address.

The last time he had seen Harry had been a couple of years ago at Ron and Draco's wedding. He had noticed then that he had the potential to develop into a strikingly handsome man, but the intervening years had turned that potential into a reality. The glasses were gone, removing the barrier to those arresting green eyes, the hair was slightly longer with a slight curl to it and gone were the hand-me-down clothes that swamped his frame and obliterated all chance of seeing the body beneath.

As Severus surreptitiously raked his eyes over the form sitting attentively in the chair, he could see that whatever Harry had been spending his time doing, it was paying dividends. He was wearing form-fitting black trousers, which, while plain, looked as though they weren't cheap, and a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the first couple of buttons on the collar undone. It was, to all intents and purposes, a fairly bland outfit, but as Severus' eye danced over it, he couldn't help but think how well the man the wore it.

Finally, he heard McGonagall say, "And that, I think, wraps up the meeting for today. If no one has anything to add then I'll bid you all good day." Her eyes swept over the assembled group and, seeing that no one had anything they wished to discuss, gave a curt nod that everyone took as their dismissal.

Severus rose to his feet, deliberately not looking in Harry's direction, and was about to make his way towards the door when he heard the man's voice calling him. He turned around and Harry smiled, extending his hand and saying,

"Hello Professor, it's good to see you."

Severus took the proffered hand and shook it firmly before letting go and saying, "Mr Potter, welcome back."

The man's smile was warm and it lit up his face as he said, "It's good to be back, if a little surreal. I was wondering if might beg a favour from you?"

Severus' eyebrow rose and he said smoothly, "Just how worried should I be?"

"Ooh terribly," Harry said teasingly, and a small pulse in Severus' throat began to twitch. "I was wondering if you'd mind spending some time going through my lesson plans with me? I've never taught before and although I feel confident in my subject, I'd really like to go through it all so I'm as prepared as I can be for term starting."

Severus was surprised that the man wanted his opinion on such a thing, and he wondered why Harry wasn't asking McGonagall or one of the other teachers who had made his tenure at Hogwarts far more enjoyable than he had done.

"I'd really value your opinion, and I know no one will be as honest with me as you will," Harry said, and for one insane moment, Severus was sure he caught a Dumbledore-esque twinkle in the man's eye.

"Very well, if you so wish, I can cast my eye over them."

"Fantastic," Harry said, clasping Severus' upper arm lightly, an action that Severus had to fight hard not to show a reaction to. "Are you free this evening?" Severus nodded, and the warm hand was removed. "Do you want to come to my quarters then? Would 8 o'clock be ok?"

"Eight will be fine, I'll see you later."

He distracted himself for the rest of the day by attending to the potions that would be needed to stock the Hospital Wing before term began. It was mostly effective, although he couldn't deny that from time to time his mind wandered to the former Boy Wonder who, his mind helpfully kept reminding him, was certainly a boy no longer.

It was always a little disconcerting, he supposed, to see those you had known since their childhood become adults, but for such a person to have turned into such a remarkably well-formed adult…well…it shouldn't be allowed.

He went about his evening ritual as he would have normally done, and told himself that he hadn't glanced in the mirror longer than he normally would and that if he had ensured that his hair was clean and neatly tied back then it was only so it wouldn't get in the way while he was bending over teaching notes. There was also, he firmly informed himself, no way that he felt the slightest flutter of nerves when he made he made his way to the Gryffindor Tower, arriving outside Harry's door at eight on the dot.

The door opened to reveal the grinning man, dressed in dark jeans and a black t-shirt, which was more form-fitting than the white shirt had been. "Bang on time, just as I knew you'd be," Harry said, stepping aside to let him in.

Severus glanced around at the quarters Harry had been given. They were a decent size, though, he was gratified to note, no bigger than his own, and rather than being decked in red and gold as he had suspected they would be, the décor was done in warm creams and chocolates. Harry flopped down in the tasteful-looking leather sofa and quirked an eyebrow at him.

"You thought it would be a shrine to Gryffindor?" the man asked.

"Employing Legilimency now, are we?" Severus asked, moving to join him on the sofa, sitting a little way along from him.

"I don't need to where you're concerned, sir."

Where had the brat learnt to smirk so well? The expression never used to slide onto his face so easily.

"Can I offer you a drink?" Harry asked, and Severus glanced around to see what was on offer. "I have a particularly good brandy that I brought back with me from France if you'd care to try it?"

Severus nodded his acquiescence and Harry held out his hand, a full decanter landing squarely against his palm moments later. A small inclination of his head and two tumblers appeared on the table in front of them. It really was most disconcerting to see such a casual display of wandless magic. It came so effortlessly to the man and he performed it without a second's thought.

"Don't give me that look," Harry said as he poured a generous measure of brandy into the waiting glasses.

"What look?" Severus asked, leaning forward to accept the proffered glass.

"Like I'm the next Dark Lord. It's just a little wandless magic, I don't even know I'm doing it half the time."

"That would be the part that most people find a little unsettling," Severus replied, swilling the liquid around slightly before taking a measured sip.

"Fine, but you're not most people. You've seen me perform wandless magic enough times for it not to be an issue."

"Not in several years I haven't," Severus said, and Harry stopped with his glass halfway to his lips, regarding Severus over the rim.

Harry took a deep breath, then continued to take a sip, leaning his head against the back of the sofa and looking up at the ceiling.

"I suppose it has been a while," he said softly. "When was the last time I saw you, Ron and Drake's wedding?"

Severus nodded, saying, "A couple of years ago."

"That was a nice day," Harry said with a smile. "It was nice to see you in something other than black."

"Dark green is near enough to black as makes no difference," Severus said, and Harry snorted, taking another sip of his brandy, then saying,

"It's good to see you again. There's…no one else quite like you…at least no one that I've met so far."

Severus raised an eyebrow and said smoothly, "That almost sounded like a compliment Mr Potter."

"Did it?" asked Harry with yet another smirk. "I'll have to be careful, don't want too many of those slipping out, you'd get the wrong idea. Merlin forbid, you might even make the mistake of thinking that I…that I liked you!" Harry said, clutching a hand to his chest dramatically and widening his eyes in feigned horror.

Severus nearly had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling. He would not let this strange new incarnation of the boy he had once known tempt him into a facial expression he wore only the most special of occasions.

As it turned out, Harry really did want his opinion on the lesson plans he had formulated, and they spent an alarmingly companionable couple of hours going through them. Severus had to admit that they were well thought out, decently structured and with a good balance of information and entertainment.

He offered several pieces of advice and was surprised when Harry took them not only with good grace, but with genuine gratitude. He scribbled away at his papers with a muggle pen, and Severus absolutely refused to look when the bloody man held it between his teeth as he thought, and even had the audacity to suck on the end of it at one point in the proceedings.

"Well, I'm as prepared as I can be," said Harry, scribbling the last couple of notes on the bottom of a lesson plan that Severus had helped to improve. "Thank you so much for this, it's been a big help."

"A compliment _and_ a declaration of thanks? I'm not sure my heart can take this kind of shock," Severus said, earning himself a wry smile in response.

"I'm hoping that if I do it often enough you might return the favour one day," Harry said, reclining in the sofa with more elegance than he had any right to possess.

"Don't hold your breath," Severus replied, rising to his feet. "I'll bid you goodnight then, if you have no further need of my services."

Harry grinned up at him and tilted his head in a manner that Severus could have almost interpreted as suggestive. "No," he said slowly, "no further need of them tonight I suppose."

He rose to his feet to stand opposite Severus, and Severus had to wonder when exactly Harry had gained the requisite number of inches that rendered the height difference between them much less noticeable.

"I wonder though," Harry said, and Severus' eyebrow rose at the coy smile that was being directed towards him. "Perhaps we could repeat tonight's experience, minus the lesson plans of course."

Severus could do little but blink at him for a moment, before saying, "I'm at a loss to understand what you're suggesting."

Harry chuckled softly and said, "I'm asking if you'd consider making this a standing arrangement, say one Friday evening a month perhaps?"

"Why?" Severus asked before he could stop himself.

Harry rolled his eyes and took a step forward before saying, "I can't tell if you're doing this on purpose or not, so fine, I'll spell it out – I'd like to spend some time with you, if you'd be amenable."

"Amenable?" Severus echoed. "My my, we have been expanding our vocabulary, haven't we?"

Harry shook his head with a frustrated smile and said, "Are you going to make me beg? Because I will you know, if it'll make you happy."

"I'm not going to be allowed to leave this room until I've agreed to this nonsensical social arrangement, am I?

"If that's how you want to play it, Professor, that's fine with me. I can think of worse things than holding you as my prisoner."

Severus' eyes widened of their own accord and Harry took the opportunity to reach out and lay a hand on his shoulder. "I wasn't joking when I said it was good to see you. I'd like to be able to see more of you." The self-assured smile faltered slightly under the hint of a blush, and Harry said a little more quietly, "I mean…I mean I'd like to spend time with you outside of mealtimes or staff meetings."

Harry removed his hand from Severus' shoulder and stepped back slightly, offering him a smile that Severus steadfastly refused to think of as charming. "I can still beg, if you'd like me to."

"I hardly think that necessary, Mr Potter," Severus said with a practised drawl. "Very well, if it will keep our Boy Wonder happy, I shall agree to being held hostage by you once a month."

The grin was back in place as Harry said, "Fantastic, I'll be holding you to it Professor, just see if I don't."

* * *

Severus was surprised to realise that he had very quickly come to look forward to the Friday evenings he would spend in Harry's quarters, and the arrangement soon went from once a month to once every two weeks, to every Friday.

He would admit it to no one, indeed he would rather cut his own heart out, but he had even begun to avoid scheduling detentions on Friday evenings to keep himself free to spend the time with a man who had no business being as decent company as he turned out to be.

It had been many years since Severus had stopped seeing Harry as an extension of his parents, or as an irritating brat who always seemed to end up as his responsibility. They had worked together during the war and had seen each other in the intervening years afterwards, but never had Severus had the opportunity to properly spend time in the man's company, nor to appreciate the fact that, by no stretch of the imagination, could he still be considered a boy.

It was ridiculous of course, but Severus found himself unable to deny how physically appealing Harry was. Green eyes were no longer obscured by over-sized glasses, a healthy diet had ensured that he didn't resemble a Dickensian waif, and tailored robes showed off a body that Severus tried very hard not to notice.

Of course, that was a task made even harder when the robes disappeared and Harry was left in nothing but those form-fitting muggle jeans he liked wearing and a t-shirt that stretched across a strong chest. He was not alone in noticing the former Boy Who Lived, and as Christmas neared, Harry spent more and more of his time bemoaning the fact that a great number of students seemed to spend all their time mooning over him.

"Would you stop bloody smirking please, it's not funny," Harry growled, shaking out of his teaching robes and opening the top button on the shirt he was wearing. "I had three marriage proposals today."

"Oh?" asked Severus, crossing one long leg over the other. "From whom?"

"Does it bloody matter?" Harry asked exasperatedly, chucking himself down on the sofa. "They're my students, they're supposed to be learning from me, not mooning over me!"

"Well, if you will be so damned irresistible…"

Harry, having no reason to believe that Severus was being nothing but sarcastic, threw a cushion at him, which he ducked neatly and carried on drinking his brandy undeterred.

"Perhaps you could employ a glamour that made you a little more troll-like, that should sort the issue out."

"If you're going to spend the whole evening taking the piss out of me then you can bugger off right now."

"Your hosting skills need work," Severus told him imperiously and Harry glared at him before he leant his head back against the sofa and closed his eyes.

"Thank Merlin it's the holidays. This term can go to hell," he groaned.

Severus took the opportunity to study the man sitting along from him, an activity he indulged in shamefully often. With his head tilted backwards, the curve of Harry's throat was exposed, and it took all of Severus restraint not to lean forward and run his tongue over it. He imagined how it would feel to pin Harry beneath him, to tease and torment his skin to provoke the most delicious sounds, to make him moan, make him beg.

It was not the first time he had entertained such thoughts, nor indeed would it be the last. As much as he might try to deny it, his attraction to the man was impossible to ignore, and although he had no hope of it ever being returned, he couldn't stop himself from indulging in his own little fantasies.

"You know," Harry said softly, and Severus averted his gaze before the man opened his eyes, "this is exactly why I left England in the first place."

"I don't follow," Severus said, pushing thoughts of Harry in the throes of passion from his mind and trying to focus his attention on what he was saying.

Harry sighed and shifted himself around to face Severus better. "I love the wizarding world, I truly do, but sometimes the magical community feels so small as to be suffocating. Even if I hadn't been the Boy Who Lived," Harry said with an eye-roll, "I would have to have gone away and done my growing up somewhere else, someone away from the scrutiny of those who knew me as a child, as a teenager. It feels like it would have been impossible to become an adult around people who could never see me as anything but a boy.

"In France…I had the opportunity to do that. They all knew who I was of course, but they didn't know _me_ , they didn't know what I'd been like and I just…I just had the chance to…spread my wings a little, to make that transition into adulthood. It was the best decision I've ever made."

Severus couldn't argue with him. Giving himself that time and space had allowed Harry the chance to develop into a confident and capable young man; perhaps he wouldn't have made the leap into adulthood with such aplomb without that much-needed escape. However, minus the slight tan, no matter where Harry had decided to do his growing up, he would have still matured into the handsome young man that was sitting opposite Severus at that moment, he would still be having to deal with his fan club.

"Perhaps coming back to teach impressionable young students was your mistake. You can hardly blame them for falling for you," Severus said, aware that he was dangerously close to showing his own hand where Harry's attractiveness was concerned.

"I like teaching," Harry protested.

"You're good at it," Severus said, and Harry blinked at him in surprise before he broke out into a wide grin.

"Well, it's taken three months, but I do believe that was a compliment."

"Don't mistake a statement of fact with an expression of saccharine ego-stroking," Severus retorted and Harry chuckled.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Harry sighed and ran a hand through dark hair that Severus longed to grab hold of, pulling the man's head back and attacking those cherry red lips with as much force as he could muster. "I don't know what the big fuss is anyway, I'm nothing special," he said with a shrug.

Severus very firmly stamped on the urge to argue with him. It would do no good to let Harry know just how completely delectable Severus found him to be. "You're passable," he said, impressed at his capability to keep his voice so level.

Harry snorted. "Imagine how unchecked my ego would be without you. I mean it though," he added, "I think I'm pretty average."

 _You're an actual moron then_ , Severus thought, wondering if the man possessed a mirror, or if the lack of glasses prevented him from seeing himself properly.

"I should perhaps point out," Severus said smoothly, "that if you were 'pretty average' you wouldn't be receiving the attention that you are currently enjoying."

Harry glared at his use of the word 'enjoying', but let it pass, saying, "Oh they're just kids, what do they know? Anyone is attractive to hormone-filled teenagers, it's hardly an indicator, is it?"

Severus paused to try and pick his words carefully. He had no desire to leave himself exposed by letting Harry know just how attractive he found him, but neither did he wish Harry to be in any doubt that he was as appealing to adults as he was to 'hormone-filled teenagers'.

"I'm sure there are many people your own age who would agree that you're…unburdened by ugliness."

Harry laughed at Severus' choice of words, but shook his head nevertheless and said, "There's not exactly a queue forming at my door. Anyway," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "I'm not really looking for anything if I'm honest. Most of the blokes I've met so far haven't exactly set my world on fire."

"Blokes?" Severus repeated before he could stop himself.

"Yeah, blokes," Harry said, looking at Severus with one of those strange, slightly crooked smiles. "Oh come on, even you couldn't have missed the whole 'Potter's a Queer' faze the Prophet went through a few years back."

He had, he honestly, truly had. He had had no idea that Harry was gay, no idea that he preferred men over women, no idea that perhaps, just _perhaps_ , he had slightly more of a chance than he had ever believed he might have done.

"So," Severus said, clearing his throat slightly, "no eligible bachelors have caught your attention then?"

"Merlin no," Harry replied, as though the very idea was ludicrous. "I'm not really one for the whole pub or club scene, it just doesn't suit me. I don't want to meet people that way, I prefer to get to know someone first, see if I like them, if there's a connection before jumping into bed with them. I don't know," he said, a thoughtful frown settling between his brows, "sometimes I think it would take someone…someone completely different to really interest me."

"Oh," said Severus quietly, taking a sip of his drink and letting that softly-spoken comment jump across his senses.

* * *

They sat together at mealtimes. It hadn't been deliberate; after they'd started spending every Friday evening together, it just seemed natural to sit next to one another up at the staff table. They spoke with the other professors, but for the most part, their conversation was limited to just themselves.

It went unnoticed by either man, but the other members of staff noted this development with interest. It was the talk of the staff room (when Harry and Severus were absent) and people's observations ranged from sheer disbelief at the shift in the men's relationship to genuine delight at watching how close they had become.

Everyone noticed how close they sat to one another, how their heads were bowed low over their dinner as they murmured and laughed throughout each mealtime, and the more perceptive amongst the onlookers noticed how comfortable they seemed to be with each other physically. It wasn't uncommon to see a hand placed casually on the other's shoulder or for one to reach over the other to grab the salt or the butter, seemingly at ease with each other's personal space.

"I'll bet you any money they're an item," Harry whispered to Severus as he spooned his green beans onto the man's plate.

"Don't be so daft, she can't stand him," Severus replied, scooping up half his mashed potato and depositing it in the middle of Harry's gravy.

"I'm telling you," Harry insisted, his voice low, "I can sense these things."

Severus snorted and passed Harry the salt without being asked. "The famed Potter sixth sense. Remind me again, who failed to see that his best friend was in love with a Malfoy?"

"That was different," Harry said dismissively, "I was too close to really be able to tell. With other people though – "

"Oh don't make me laugh, the senses you _do_ possess are on the blink, let alone any imagined ones you might think you have."

"You say the meanest things," Harry said in feigned affront. "Look, I'm telling you – "

"Mr Potter," came McGonagall's voice to his left, and he looked to the headmistress questioningly. "I believe your guest has arrived."

She pointed towards the doors and Severus glanced at the same time as Harry to see Filch directing an impossibly handsome man towards the staff table. Almost every head turned to watch as the visitor made his way past the tables up to the raised platform, where Harry was waiting for him with a smile.

"Gaspard!" said Harry, shaking the man's hand and leaning forward for a hug. "C'est tellement bon de te voir. Comment était ton voyage?"

"Pas mal. C'est bon de te voir aussi. Tu as l'air bien," the stranger said, raking an appreciate eye up and down Harry's body. Severus hated him immediately.

Harry grinned in response and said, "Tu as toujours été un beau parleur, je vois que rien n'a changé."

He may well have wanted to strangle this tall blond Adonis with the stupidly thin scarf he was wearing, but hearing Harry speak what sounded like fluent French was having all kinds of effects on him. Oh how he wanted to hear Harry speak it under different circumstances.

"Severus," said Harry, turning to face him, "this is Gaspard Durand. I studied with him in France. He's come to stay for a couple of weeks."

Severus rose to his feet and took the tanned hand that was offered to him. "Mr Durand," he said smoothly, feeling his hatred of the man grow with every perfect detail that he had the displeasure of taking in.

"Gaspard, this is my good friend Severus Snape. We've known each other for…well…some time now," Harry said with a grin, and Severus was surprised at the warm glow he felt at being referred to as a 'good friend'. He squashed the feeling down firmly.

"Very pleased to meet you Professor," Gaspard said, his accent thick. "I've heard so much about you."

"And none of it good," Harry said with a grin. "Come on Gaspard, I'll show you to your rooms," he said, placing his hand on Gaspard's back and guiding him away from the staff table. "Severus, I'll see you later," he called over his shoulder, then continued to make his retreat with the man whose demise Severus was already plotting.

* * *

The Blond Git, as Severus had christened him in his mind, was staying for two weeks, and Severus determined to make himself as scarce as possible in that time. He had absolutely no desire to see Harry smiling and laughing with a man who made Draco look like a cave troll.

It was stupid, as if he'd have had a chance even if The Blond Git hadn't come along. Still, it didn't mean that he wanted to stand by and watch as his chances diminished in front of his eyes. He had told Harry to forgo their Friday evenings while he was playing host, and although the man had seemed confused by the direction, he had taken it nevertheless. Severus was surprised to find just how much he missed him.

They still sat next to one another at mealtimes, but now The Blond Git was sitting on Harry's other side, and very often Harry's attention was caught up by him. The only upside was that Severus had the opportunity to hear Harry speaking French, which, while he didn't understand a single word of it, was an absolute pleasure to listen to. His mind, helpful as always, imagined what it might be like to pin Harry beneath him while the man said filthy things to him in French, thoughts that often made his trousers very uncomfortable moments later.

Severus had just completed one of his rounds of the castle, ostensibly to check for students breaking curfew, but really it was to try and still his mind before he attempted to get some sleep. He was about to give up and call it a night when he heard voices coming from a little way down the corridor. It took only a moment to realise that both voices were speaking French and that one of the voices was one he knew very well.

 _Oh wonderful_ , he thought, _the two of them are indulging in a little midnight chat. How charming._

He inched a little closer, careful not to be heard and strained his ears a little, though why he was bothering when he didn't speak a word of the language he had no clue. He could see that the two men were sitting side by side in a small window seat, Harry swinging his feet back and forth like a child, an easy smile playing about his lips.

Severus was about to leave them to it and retreat to his rooms to drown his sorrows when he heard The Blond Git say,

"Je dois savoir – la raison pour laquelle tu m'as dit non à cause de Severus n'était-ce pas?"

Severus didn't know what had been said, but it caused Harry to look at The Blond Git with a rueful smile and say, "J'adorerais dire non, mais oui, c'était le cas."

"Depuis combine de temps as tu des sentiments pour lui?" The Blond Git asked, and Harry took a deep breath before he replied,

"Je ne peux pas dire avec certitude. Je l'admire depuis longtemps et je l'ai aimé depuis longtemps. Peu importe qu'il ne me voie jamais comme ça."

"Tu es pathétique. Pourquoi diable ne vous verrait-il pas ainsi? Tu es magnifique!"

"Tais-toi," said Harry, giving the man's shoulder a shove, while a blush spread across his cheeks.

The Blond Git smiled and laid a hand on Harry's shoulder, saying in a low, conspiratorial voice, "Je veux dire, tout homme aurait de la chance de t'avoir. Severus serait idiot de te dire non."

That was enough for Severus; hearing his name said twice while the two men sat and grinned with each other was more than he was prepared to bear. He turned on his heel and strode off down the corridor, intending to lose himself in a bottle of Ogden's finest.

* * *

There were any number of potions he could slip into The Blond Git's food that would result in an untimely demise…or a timely one from Severus' point of view. It wouldn't work though, Harry would know, Harry always seemed to know when he was up to something. Granted, he had never poisoned anyone at the staff table, but he was open to persuasion.

The Blond Git was leaving in the morning, and Severus had never been so keen to see daylight. Not that it mattered he supposed; he had seen them together, seen how they smiled and laughed…laughed at him. Whatever pathetic fantasies he had harboured were now nothing more than the laughable imaginings of a ridiculous old fool.

How could he have ever thought that Harry would ever see him in that light? It was remarkable enough that they had become friends, that his rather lonely existence at Hogwarts had been gifted with a little brightness. To wish for anything else was simply greedy.

A knock at the door pulled him from his reverie, and he sighed as he hauled himself out of his armchair to move across and answer it. Harry was standing in the corridor, dressed in those damn muggle jeans, his hair slightly damp, as though he had just stepped out of the shower.

"Fancy some company?" he said with a grin.

"Not particularly," Severus replied, but Harry was undeterred. He pushed past him into his quarters and turned to face him with a smile.

"I've missed you these last couple of weeks."

Severus' eyebrow rose. "Oh? I would have thought you had ample entertainment with Gaspard in residence."

"To tell you the truth, he gets a bit much after a while. I won't be all that sorry to see him go tomorrow."

"The two of you looked very cosy when I happened to stumble across you last night," Severus said, unable to keep the edge from his voice.

"Last night?" Harry said with a frown, a blush suddenly spreading across his cheeks as his eyes widened when comprehension dawned. "Oh Merlin…did you…did you hear us?"

"I did, Mr Potter," Severus said, throwing in for good measure, "and you should know that I speak fluent French."

 _There, get out of that one you little sod_ , he thought as he folded his arms. _You'll have to admit to mocking me with your ridiculous French Bastard now_.

He watched as Harry bit his lip for a second, his breathing quicker than it normally was, then, to his utter surprise, the little imp grinned at him. Where the hell was his wand? He needed to hex the man into the middle of next week.

"Well then, I guess I'm banged to rights," Harry said, holding his hands up in surrender. "Nothing for it I suppose," he said softly, and before Severus had the opportunity to locate his wand, he found himself with an armful of former wizarding saviour, being kissed as though his life depended on it.

He was so shocked that for a moment he did nothing, merely stood like a statue as Harry kissed the life out of him, but as Harry began to pull away slightly, his senses finally kicked in enough to enable him to wrap his arms around the man and hold him firmly in place while he responded.

He had had months planning this in his head, imagining all the ways he would take Harry in his arms and kiss him senseless, but all those things flew from his mind as he gave himself completely up to his instinct. He was in a state of shock, if he were honest. Regardless of all the little fantasies he had indulged in, he had never, in his wildest dreams, ever thought they could be a reality.

"You've been driving me crazy," Harry murmured as he moved his lips to press firm kisses along Severus' jaw. "I've been flirting with you for months, hoping you'd realise how I felt. I thought I'd be waiting for the rest of my life."

Severus was trying to process what Harry was saying, but very little was going in. All he could concentrate on was the feel of Harry's lips moving to his throat, on the man's hands that had made their way to the buttons on his shirt. He was being pushed backwards, and he only realised why when the backs of his knees hit the sofa and he collapsed down onto it, Harry standing above him with a grin.

"Last chance to back out Professor," the man said, and Severus was trying to think of an adequate response when Harry sank to his knees in front of him and looked up through his eyelashes, wetting his bottom lip with his tongue. "Divesto," he said clearly, and before Severus could blink, both of them were stripped naked.

Had he have been in possession of his senses, he might have had the wherewithal to feel self-conscious, but just as his mind was about to remind him that that's what he should have been feeling, Harry leant forward and engulfed his bobbing erection in one fell swoop.

Severus groaned and let his head fall back against the sofa, closing his eyes as Harry moved his mouth up and down, sucking and licking as he went. It had been so very long since anyone had done this to him, and he was certain that had it never been done with such skill as Harry possessed. Oh he should have known, he should have known that that mouth could be put to better uses.

Harry hummed around his erection and Severus couldn't help but reach out and twine a hand through Harry's thick hair, gripping it tightly as the man took him all the way to the back of his throat.

"Oh fucking hell," he whispered, as Harry continued to bob up and down, taking Severus all the way each time and lathering attention with the flat of his tongue with each swipe back upwards. A hand was wrapped around the base of his cock and Harry began to swirl his tongue around the head, merciless in his efforts.

Severus tightened his grip in the man's hair, savouring every last aching moment of Harry's skilled ministrations, but knowing that he needed more, that his whole body was crying out to finally claim Harry as his own.

"Not being 26," he said as well as he was able, "I shall only be coming once tonight, and I intend it to be a little differently."

Harry stopped what he was doing long enough to grin up at him and say, "You'd best get me to the bedroom then, hadn't you?"

He rose to his feet, holding out his hand to Severus, and Severus took it, grateful that Harry hauled him to his feet, as he wasn't sure he could have managed on his own. Harry led him off to the bedroom and Severus had barely a second to gather his thoughts before Harry pulled himself flush against Severus' body and circled his hips, pushing his erection firmly against Severus'.

"You don't know how long I've wanted this," Harry murmured as he arched into Severus, and Severus allowed his hand to travel down the lithe young body until it wrapped around Harry's deliciously hard prick.

Harry moaned and pressed himself further into Severus' hand, then pulled them both down onto the bed as Severus continued to stroke him. Severus realised his fantasies had fallen decidedly short, and nothing could have prepared him for the reality of having Harry beneath him, arching his beautiful body upwards, completely at his mercy.

He leant forward and pressed his lips to the soft skin of Harry's throat, something he had been itching to do for months. He kissed and teased the vulnerable flesh, pleased to note the sharp intake of breath from Harry, then moved lower, worshipping the skin over the man's collarbones, his ribs, and down across the flat stomach.

He held out one hand and wordlessly summoned his lubricant from the nightstand, while at the same time leaning forward and wrapping his mouth around Harry's straining erection. Harry writhed against the mattress and Severus coated his fingers in the viscous liquid before placing them at Harry's entrance and gently insinuating one finger, then another. He sucked hard as he continued to impale Harry mercilessly, and was rewarded by a breathy little sigh followed by his name tumbling happily from Harry's lips.

He removed his fingers and continued to suck Harry as he coated his own erection from base to tip, feeling his desire grow with each movement. He finally removed his mouth and moved to line his erection up with Harry's entrance, leaning over the man and meeting his eyes as the little imp grinned up at him.

He bent down to capture Harry's lips in a bruising kiss before nudging gently forward, entering Harry carefully before Harry wrapped his legs around his waist and urged him further in until he was fully sheathed.

"Oh fuck yes," Harry whispered, rolling his hips to match the rhythm Severus set, pulling him in deeper each time.

Severus thrust hard inside Harry, bracing himself with a hand each side of Harry's head and holding himself firmly as he moved within the responsive body underneath him. There was still a dim part of his brain that was able to register utter disbelief that this was happening, that after months of telling himself there was no hope in hell here he was, moving inside Harry and watching as the man's face told of nothing but pleasure.

It seemed utterly impossible that Harry could want him, that Harry wanted more than friendship from him, but he wasn't fool enough to question a veritable miracle when it presented itself to him. Harry pulled him down into another kiss, deep and sensual as he met every thrust, moaning softly against Severus' lips.

Nothing had ever felt quite so right to Severus, and if Harry let him, he was determined to keep the man in his bed for as long as possible. His thrusts became more insistent, his and Harry's breathing hard and heavy, and he reached a hand down to wrap around Harry's hardness, stroking firmly as he angled his thrusts to meet Harry's prostate. Harry clenched down around him and his head fell back against the pillow as he looked up at Severus with hazy eyes. A couple more deft strokes and Harry came, biting down hard on his lip as he did so, spurring Severus on to bury himself to the hilt, slamming into Harry until he followed suit and came hard.

There was no sound in the room apart from their heavy breathing, and Harry slowly unwound his legs from Severus' waist as Severus withdrew carefully from his body and fell upon the bed next to Harry. Someone muttered a sleepy cleaning charm and they lay side by side, basking in the afterglow.

"I don't care what you say," Harry said between breaths, "you'll be coming more than once tonight."

Severus groaned and tilted his head to look at his tormentor. "You'll kill me you little devil."

Harry grinned and shifted closer towards him, tucking himself into his side and pillowing his head on his chest. "As if I would," he muttered, "I intend for you to be around for a very long time yet, Professor."

"Oh?" Severus asked, resting a hand in Harry's hair. "You have plans for me, do you?"

"Many, Severus, many."

**Author's Note:**

> Oh I do love these two, I will never tire of writing them. I do hope my A-level French stood up to the task, my deepest apologies if it didn't. If there are any corrections I should make, please let me know. For those of you interested, the conversation between Harry and Gaspard went as follows:
> 
> Gaspard: I have to know – the reason you said no to me was because of Severus wasn't it?  
> Harry: I'd love to say no, but yes, it was.  
> Gaspard: How long have you had feelings for him?  
> Harry: I can't say for certain. I've admired him for a long time, and I've fancied him for ages. It hardly matters, he'd never see me that way.  
> Gaspard: You're pathetic. Why on earth wouldn't he see you that way? You're gorgeous!  
> Harry: Shut up.  
> Gaspard: I mean it, any man would be lucky to have you. Severus would be a fool to say no to you.


End file.
